DP Chapter 20

Chapter 20

The bathroom exhaust fan was on. Xiang Yiye opened the door and went in. The smell of smoke inside was a bit strong but not unpleasant, though it still made him cough.

“Sorry,” Xu Chuo said, extinguishing the remaining cigarette in his hand and opening the window. “Finished chatting with your uncle?”

Xiang Yiye hummed in acknowledgment. For some reason, he sensed a slight melancholy in Xu Chuo’s expression and said, “Let’s go out for dumplings. No arguing, you have to eat them. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

Once the smell of smoke had dissipated, Xu Chuo and Xiang Yiye went out together.

“Xiao Chuo, come quickly! Thanks to you for bringing Xiao Yiye back today. You’re a hero; you have to eat more. You like pork and corn, right? Have some more of those. And try one of each of the other fillings…” Qiao Sha said, filling a large plate for Xu Chuo.

Xu Chuo sat down at the table, holding the plate that was several times larger than his face, feeling a bit troubled.

“Don’t like it?” Xiang Yiye asked quietly.

“It’s not that… I really can’t finish it,” Xu Chuo replied softly.

“What are you two whispering about?” Xiang Wan asked curiously.

“Saying that there are too many delicious things in City M,” Xu Chuo said with a smile, “and one portion here is like two portions anywhere else. I’ve already gained several pounds in the past few days.”

“Eat more if you like it. Young people have fast metabolisms; don’t be afraid of getting fat,” Xiang Wan said, picking up another dumpling and placing it on his plate.

Xiang Yiye also picked up a dumpling from his own plate and put it on Xu Chuo’s.

Xu Chuo: “…?” Was the plan to stuff him to death today?

Xiang Yiye gave him a look. Xu Chuo understood, eating while chatting with Xiang Wan and Qiao Sha at the table. Xiang Yiye, meanwhile, casually transferred dumplings, until only a solitary one remained on Xu Chuo’s plate.

The New Year’s Eve countdown was playing on the TV in the living room. Xu Chuo picked up the last dumpling, took a bite, and noticed something odd. He put it back on the plate, saw a coin hidden inside, and picked it out. The New Year’s atmosphere in City S wasn’t as strong as in the North. He had only read about these traditions in books.

At that moment, the hosts’ New Year’s greetings and the sound of fireworks rang in their ears. Qiao Sha said with a smile, “Xiao Chuo, if you eat this, you’ll have great luck and a prosperous new year.”

“He has enough wealth already, so how about wishing him…” Xiang Yiye thought for a moment, “Freedom and ease.”

To be free to be himself and do what he loves.

Xu Chuo also offered auspicious words to Xiang Wan and Qiao Sha, wishing them a Happy New Year, while pocketing the coin. He knew that this blessing didn’t come from heaven, but was a gift from Xiang Yiye.

After finishing the dumplings, Xu Chuo wanted to return to the hotel, but Xiang Yiye stopped him.

“Sleeping on the sofa on the first day of the Lunar New Year isn’t a good omen,” Xu Chuo said.

“Who said I’m sleeping on the sofa? I’m sleeping in my room,” Xiang Yiye said.

“Then that’s even worse,” Xu Chuo said softly. “You’re too close to me. I’m afraid I won’t be able to control myself.”

Xiang Yiye took a deep breath, as if creating a shield of air to protect himself. “I’ll tie you up all night with a rope so you can’t do anything but sleep.”

“That will only make me more excited,” Xu Chuo said, raising his eyebrows.

They spoke boldly, but when they actually lay on the same bed, they were both unusually well-behaved.

With the night light on, Xiang Yiye leaned against the headboard, with his laptop on his knees. The screen displayed a scanned copy of a script. Gu Wenyu had asked his assistant to send it to him. They were all representative works that Gu Wenyu had previously acted in, and the yellowed pages were filled with Gu Wenyu’s notes.

Xu Chuo, on the other hand, was lying on the other side, flipping through photo albums. As he flipped through them, he sat up and pointed to a photo, asking, “I wanted to ask you last time, is this little one you?”

It was Xiang Yiye’s junior high school graduation photo. Unlike most boys, he was standing in the front row.

Xiang Yiye nodded, knowing why Xu Chuo was curious. “I was short back then.” He grew slowly and was a head shorter than the boys around him until high school.

Xu Chuo seemed very interested, and flipped through a few more photos of him as a little kid. “You’ve changed so much. Can I take pictures of these to keep?”

“You can only look, not take pictures,” Xiang Yiye said, his gaze drifting over the computer screen. He saw the mattress sink slightly as Xu Chuo bent his knees, revealing a section of his ankle. He was focused on flipping through the photo album, completely unaware that he was being watched.

Xiang Yiye silently closed the laptop and switched to a paper book.

After finishing the photo album, Xu Chuo looked up and saw Xiang Yiye under the warm light, his eyebrows and eyes bright, his features clear, holding a book… the *Taoist Scripture of Purity and Tranquility*.

He had a face that could bewitch souls, yet he insisted on using it to abstain from desire, Xu Chuo thought. This was the most peaceful night he had spent in his life, but he felt that things were pretty good as they were, at least the atmosphere was quite… warm.

As soon as those last two words came to mind, Xu Chuo got goosebumps all over. This was almost a non-existent concept in his two decades of romantic experiences.

Xu Chuo felt that he was still too young. Maybe when he was seventy or eighty years old and had seen everything, he would have a deeper appreciation for the so-called warm atmosphere? Right now, he still preferred words like “explosive chemistry.”

“Do you read this every night?” Xu Chuo asked.

“No, this helps me sleep,” Xiang Yiye said. Besides, he really needed some peace and quiet right now, or he would easily start overthinking things.

Xu Chuo, on the other hand, was clearly not thinking about anything pure. He asked, “When did you realize your orientation was different from others?”

Xiang Yiye’s finger brushed across the page. “High school, probably. A classmate pulled me to watch… cough, that’s when I knew.”

Xu Chuo understood. “Don’t plan on telling your uncle and aunt?”

Xiang Yiye shook his head. In his previous life, the fact that he was backed by Xie Zhimin was eventually not hidden from Xiang Wan, and any explanation was taken as a lie. Xiang Yiye had no choice but to make many calls to Xie Zhimin.

“Just one sentence, you only need to say one sentence to my dad, say that we are not that kind of relationship, Xie Zhimin, President Xie, this is the last time I trouble you, okay?” Xiang Yiye said.

Xie Zhimin was attending a meeting abroad at that time. The last sentence before hanging up was: “What does that have to do with me?”

Until the day he died, Xiang Wan never spoke a word to Xiang Yiye again.

“This is different from me being an actor. They won’t understand,” Xiang Yiye said.

Xu Chuo understood. He could see that the Xiang family was a very traditional family, with order of seniority, loving mother, and strict father. Little by little, they formed Xiang Yiye’s calm personality, with obedient and restrained sand and warm, sincere stone laid deep within.

“You are very happy,” Xu Chuo said.

This statement might have been difficult to resonate with in the past, but Xiang Yiye was a person who had died once, and affirmed, “All my happiness is now in these few ordinary rooms.”

A house of less than 150 square meters, containing his parents, grandmother, and the Xu Chuo in front of him, even if Xu Chuo’s arrival was more like an accident.

Xiang Yiye suddenly said, “Xu Chuo, have you ever thought about maintaining a relationship with someone for a longer period?”

Xu Chuo did not expect the topic to turn to himself so quickly, and asked, “How long is long?”

“As long as my dad and my mom.”

Xu Chuo seriously thought for a while, “I get tired easily, and I get bored with long-term fixed relationships easily. It’s hard to imagine that I can live with someone for decades… but it’s not completely impossible. People can’t completely accurately know themselves, just like you can’t see the back of your head without a mirror. If there is someone in the future, just standing there, that makes me unable to refuse, then it is not sure.”

Xiang Yiye said, “Man proposes, God disposes, is that what you mean.” He vaguely realized that Xu Chuo was not resistant to long-term relationships, and even looking forward to them.

“Just saying it casually, don’t read too much into it.” Xu Chuo smiled, shrugged, and lay down, closing his eyes, “I sleep badly, it’s still time for you to tie me up now.”

Xiang Yiye pulled the quilt over Xu Chuo’s stomach, turned off the night light, and lay down as well, with a barrier formed by air in between.

He couldn’t sleep and kept pondering the meaning of Xu Chuo’s long speech just now. Xu Chuo spoke ambiguously. Sober people could see the blatant hook dangling inside, but Xiang Yiye was obviously not very sober at this time. He was willing to take the bait, thinking, why not try once?

Since reuniting with Xu Chuo, he has been retreating. Probably because there is a subconscious guilt from his previous life, and a self-conscious embarrassment that he can’t match.

But putting aside all the past, Xiang Yiye asked himself, he still liked Xu Chuo. Instead of struggling and awkwardness, it is better to pursue it in the most positive way.

What if he is different from the other people Xu Chuo has met? Xiang Yiye didn’t want to give up without even trying.

From the sound of breathing and some small movements, Xiang Yiye judged that Xu Chuo was also not asleep at the moment, but he didn’t know what the other party was insomniac for.

The two had their own thoughts, closed their eyes and endured for more than an hour. In the second half of the night, in a daze, Xu Chuo, who was facing away from Xiang Yiye, suddenly turned over and leaned his body towards him.

Xiang Yiye knew that this was a sign that Xu Chuo had let down his guard and finally fell asleep. He stretched out his arm and grabbed him, letting the other party unfold his hands and feet, like an octopus wrapping himself up.

Xu Chuo breathed steadily and slept soundly, but Xiang Yiye couldn’t sleep at all.

When the east was gradually turning white, Xu Chuo opened his eyes, holding… several layers of quilts in his arms. Xiang Yiye didn’t know when he had left the bed.

Xu Chuo finished washing up and was changing his clothes by the door when he heard Xiang Yiye say to Xiang Wan in the living room, “Dad, I’m not going to visit relatives with you today.”

“How can that work? You don’t know your aunt’s mouth. She will definitely say that it doesn’t matter whether you become a star in the future, but now that you haven’t become one, you are already floating and have no respect for people.” Xiang Wan said.

“Let them say whatever they want. I have to accompany Xu Chuo. I can’t leave him alone at home.” Xiang Yiye said.

Xiang Wan thought it was right, and said, “It is estimated that the only bathhouse is open these days. You can take Xiao Chuo to Jiliang Spring to take a bath.”

The bathing culture in City M is prosperous, and the bath center is even more powerful. It is not only limited to bathing in hot springs, but also has functions such as watching movies, massages, and singing. If you don’t want to do anything, you can find a corner inside to stay quietly by yourself. It is suitable for social fear and social animals.

Xiang Yiye smiled, “I’ll ask him if he wants to go.”

Xu Chuo hurried out and said, “No trouble, Uncle, I plan to return to City S tonight. I’ve been bothering you these few days.”

“Why are you in such a hurry to leave? Did this kid make you unhappy? Tell me, I’ll fix him.” Xiang Wan said.

“No, he’s very well-behaved.” Xu Chuo smiled, “I have something to do. I have to go back to see my teacher, and there will be a class reunion in a few days.”

Xiang Yiye felt depressed, thinking it was really bad timing. He couldn’t sleep last night, and his mind was full of what he would do with Xu Chuo in the next few days.

If Xu Chuo was not used to going to the bathhouse, they would nest at home for the winter. After these few days, when the scenic spots were open, he could take Xu Chuo to the snow field to ski and climb the snow mountain to see the rime. If Xu Chuo felt that it was too cold to go out, there were indoor museums to visit.

He had even figured out how to express his feelings to Xu Chuo, but the person involved ran away.